North Carolina State University. Dept. of Communication Services.

The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 not only provided for a cooperative system of "in the field" extension and demonstration activities, but also made provisions for those activities to be made available to those unable to attend such activities. For the most part, this meant the printing of regular or semi-regular publications. At North Carolina State, such work effectively began with the hiring of Frank H. Jeter in 1914 as agricultural editor. Jeter oversaw the creation of the journal Extension Farm-News in 1915, and quickly expanded the service to the point that, during the 1915-16 school year, his presses were turning out 75,000 items per month. Agricultural communication took the next step when the first radio broadcasts were produced during 1922, and the 1950s saw College agricultural personnel take to the television airwaves to reach even wider audiences. The department has undergone multiple name changes over the years, finally assuming it’s current designation in 1998.

The Department of Communication Services provides communication leadership and innovation for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences to further the mission of North Carolina State University. The department delivers timely, accurate, research-based information to improve the quality of life for citizens of North Carolina; facilitates the effective transfer of information between clients and their audiences; trains and advises clients in effective communications; and provides communications services.